


Gold and Silver

by Feelysonheelys



Series: Silver Skull [3]
Category: The Aquabats! Super Show!
Genre: Amnesia, Brainwashing, Gen, He lives on Webcomic Time. You're not supposed to think about it, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Interrogation, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Past Mind Control, Please don't question Ricky Fitness' age, Scars, Some Images of Injury, Stand-alone fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 18:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17492996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feelysonheelys/pseuds/Feelysonheelys
Summary: Adam didn't exactly remember coming back to visit his fellow Aquabats, but he's not preoccupied with worrying about things like being able to recall where he's been or what he's been up to. There are more important matters, like feeling how warm and comfortable the bunk is, and thinking how nice it is to see Jaime again, and wondering why his robot friend seems so upset.





	Gold and Silver

**Author's Note:**

> This is a direct sequel to timdadanon's Skullbot, which I did revisions and some writing for, but I think it stands up well in isolation. If anything, it puts the reader in the main character's perspective. Either way, please let me know if you enjoyed! A follow-up chapter is a possibility.

There is something about a warm, cozy bed that can help a person forget their troubles. When Prince Adam de Adam’s senses began returning to him, he wasn’t worried that he couldn’t recall where he had last been before falling unconscious, or why any recent memories weren’t very clear in his mind. What was important was that he was very tired, and very, very comfortable. Probably the most comfortable he had been in some time.

His eyes opened lazily as he shifted under the covers. Gosh, the bed felt nice. The room wasn’t well-lit, but it wasn’t all dark, either. It wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.

 _The Battletram,_ his brain nudged him toward the name, _it’s the Professor’s Battletram. He gave it to the Aquabats. This is the place where they sleep._

Adam was still too groggy to think too hard about when the last time he’d stayed with the Aquabats was, or how much time had passed since then. Besides, he was busy observing the stuffed animal that had been tucked under the covers with him. It was a white bear, and it looked very sweet, all dressed up in an itty-bitty Aquabats uniform. It belonged to a close friend of his, and it made him smile.

“Adam? _Adam?!”_

His name had been whispered, but he could still feel surprise and concern and a whole bunch of emotions in the person’s voice. It was a voice he liked a lot. It was Jaime the Robot’s voice, and Jaime was just the best kind of person to have around, honestly. He was so--

“Please, Adam,” a pair of metal hands surrounded one of Adam’s not-metal hands. “Let me know you’re hearing me.”

“Heh, sorry, Jaime,” Prince Adam said, trying to blink awake. “Something’s making me really slow this morning, I guess.”

The robot made a weird laugh-sigh, a noise that was so relieved and happy that it rubbed off on Adam, making him smile. He certainly didn’t understand what it was that was making his friend laugh, but it was such genuine joy that he couldn’t hold back a grin.

Jaime cleared his throat. Did a robot need to clear his throat? It was probably done to try and reset the mood.

“I’m grateful to see you awake,” Jaime said. “You’ve been through a rough time, and it’s not surprising that you’re… feeling tired. You aren’t suffering from a concussion, but I do need to ask you some questions, just to make sure of a few things.”

Adam pulled himself up into a sitting position. “Mmkay.”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“Prince Adam de Adam,” he answered with no hesitation. “I mean, if you wanted to make sure I knew that, you shouldn’t have called me by name when I woke up, but I could’ve answered anyway.”

Jimmy shrugged it off. “Fair point. And you know my name?”

“Jaime the Robot.”

Jaime’s mouth was smiling, but the rest of his face was concerned.

“Well, I mean, it’s actually James. Catboy started calling you Jaime, and it became a thing. You’re also Jimmy. Or Robot. Robot Cakes. Or James Randall the—“

“Okay, that’s good!” Jaime lightly patted his shoulder. His hands were all exposed metal now! He’d noticed a couple of little differences in Jaime’s look since waking up. He had a reinforced metal chin, instead of a strap. The design on his power belt as a little different, too.

“I like your upgrade, by the way,” Adam mentioned.

Jaime looked confused and a little concerned again, but didn’t say anything.

“You know,” Adam continued, “Your hands are all metal, instead of having the fake skin you had before. And your neat new helmet design. It makes you look cool.”

“Oh!” Jaime blinked with surprise, but his smile was genuine. “Thank you, Adam.”

The Prince stretched a little. “So I guess you’re going to ask me what year it is next?”

Jaime winced. “Well, not immediately, I had some other things to check on.”

Adam looked down at his hands in his lap. “So I guess I’m missing some time or something? That’s no fun.”

Jaime nodded. “Yes. Yes, that’s right.”

Adam let out a breath. “Bummer. At least I get a chance to catch up with you guys, right? And you get to show off your new stuff to be all over again, like your fancy new parts. I’ll bet the rest of the Aquabats have a bunch of crazy stories to catch me up on, huh? Fight any cool new bad guys?”

Jaime turned away from Prince Adam for a moment, taking a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. Adam didn’t always understand how exactly the robot could mimic such human actions so perfectly, but it almost sounded like he was trying not to cry.

“Where are the rest of the guys, anyway?” he wondered aloud.

“We…” Jaime took another deep breath to steady himself. “We didn’t want you to get too overwhelmed. That’s all. So it’s just me here.”

Adam blinked. “Overwhelmed? Come on, I can handle the guys, Jaime,” he laughed, swiveling around so that his legs dangled off of the bunk. “Let them come say hi!”

“We need to finish your survey, Adam,” Jaime pressed down on his shoulder. “And I should let you know, I’ve been going more by Jimmy now.”

“Oh,” Adam responded. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Jaime— _Jimmy_ took back his hand. “You didn’t know. And don’t worry, there haven’t been any pronoun changes, either.”  

Adam leaned back a little. “So what’s my deal? Is it just amnesia, or did one of you have to kiss me to wake up Sleeping Handsome?”

Jimmy chuckled. “Sorry, nobody kissed you. Let me finish up the survey first.”

It felt good to make his friend laugh. He looked so stressed and tired.

“Now Adam, what can you tell me about the Aquabats?”

Adam’s brow furrowed. “Uh, a lot? You’re going to need to be specific.”

“Just start explaining things,” Jimmy encouraged. “I’ll tell you when to stop.”

“Okay, well, when we were younger, there were about eight or nine of us who fled Aquabania when Space Monster M took over. We washed ashore in a hollowed log, and were taken in by the Professor. He enhanced us to give us powers and we formed a superhero team/rock band called The Aquabats. Some of us have come and gone over the years, and we’ve had some mainlanders join— you’re an Aquabat too, after all— and while I’m not an active member of the band anymore, I’ve never stopped being an Aquabat.”

He looked to Jimmy for approval, but the robot’s face was drawn in thought. He seemed sad again. When he noticed Adam’s gaze, he prompted him further.

“Can you tell me who all the current members of the Aquabats are? The ones currently touring.”

“Totally,” Adam replied. “There’s you, obviously. You mostly play keys and sax. Then we’ve got the MC Bat Commander on vocals, Crash on bass, lil’ Ricky on drums, and Chainsaw on guitar.”

Jimmy nodded again. He had that sad thoughtful look again.

“Need anything else?” Adam asked. “I’d really like to see the guys soon.”

Jimmy stroked his shiny metal chin for a moment. His eyes lit up, like they always did when he had an idea. Not literally, though. Adam wondered if they could literally do that, with Jimmy being a robot and all, before he realized he must still be very tired.

“Mm, I’m really letting myself get distracted,” he mumbled. “How long was I--”

“You mentioned ‘cool new bad guys’,” Jimmy cut in. “I need to quiz you on something very quickly. I will explain later. Do you remember fighting Pumpkin Face?”

“Yes.”

“Cyclopfenstein?”

“And the Cyclopsis.”

“Space Mummy.”

 _"Yes,_ Jimmy, what--”

“ManAnt?”

Adam frowned. “Who?”

“Just making sure. Obakemon?”

“Yes!” Adam crossed his arms. “Yes, I remember them. And I remember the Sandfleas, and the Cat with Two Heads, and Silver Skull, and we totally kicked their butts! Jimmy, what does all this have to do with helping me with whatever’s wrong with me?”

The robot’s eyes shot wide open. He gripped the arm of his chair.

“Repeat that last one.”

“What?” Adam unfolded his arms.

Jimmy focused on Adam’s face with an expression he couldn’t make out, rising out of his chair. “Tell me what you know about Silver Skull.”

Adam absently reached for Crash’s teddy bear, squeezing it with one hand. “Jimmy, what’s going on?”

Jimmy's jaw was clenched. "Answer the question, please."

"You're starting to scare me a little--"

_“How do I know you’re Adam?!”_

The prince shrank back, flickering back and forth between visible and invisible at his friend’s sudden outburst. He clutched the bear as he huddled against the back wall of the bunk, leaving the stuffed animal with the momentary appearance of hovering above the blankets. Jimmy the Robot’s furrowed eyebrows suddenly arched back before his expression melted into horrified regret.

“Oh, no, no, no,” Jimmy shook his head, looking down at himself. “Oh, no, Adam, I’m sorry, I’ve just been so high-strung and stressed over this, I didn’t mean to scare you, I lost my temper...”

Adam, now fully visible, peered over the pajama-clad legs pressed close into his chest. Jimmy’s hand was held out him, but he hesitated to take it.

“Please tell me what’s going on,” the prince whimpered.

Jimmy opened his mouth for a moment before pressing his lips together in thought.

“Would you like to tell me what year you remember it being?”

“2005,” Adam said softly. “Maybe 2006. Please tell me what year it actually is.”

“I don’t want to upset you any further, Adam.”

“I’m in an upsetting situation,” he replied frantically. “You don’t have to tell me that, I can tell.”

Jimmy sighed through his nose. “It’s 2019. We haven’t seen you in over thirteen years.”

Adam went completely slack. His head was pounding. He lay splayed out on the bed, legs dangling out toward the floor. His hands released the stuffed toy from his grip, dropping it onto the bed.

“Thirteen years, huh… And you had no idea where I was?”

Jimmy grimaced. “It gets worse. We didn’t know until… oh Adam, I’m so sorry we didn’t figure it out sooner.”

Adam ran his hands down his face, fingers bumping over countless scars and scrapes.

“My face,” he mumbled numbly. “What happened to my face?”

Jimmy wrapped his arms tightly around himself. “You were-- we found-- there’s no good way to say this.” His voice wavered.

Prince Adam pushed himself to his feet. “I need a mirror.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 _“Please_ _,_ Robot,” The Prince’s voice cracked as he hurried to the door, only to find it unresponsive.

“I’m sorry,” Jimmy whispered before raising his voice. “Aquabats, unlock the door. He’s safe.”

A distinct clicking sound could be heard. The doors wooshed open, leaving three individuals struggling to regain their footing as the door they had been eavesdropping through had been pulled away. There was only one of them that Adam recognized immediately, but even so, he pushed past the Bat Commander, finding the bathroom mercifully quickly.

When he did reach the mirror, he wished he hadn’t.

His skin was ghastly pale, with dark spots like permanent bruises around his sunken eyes. Long scars had formed over deep impressions on his skin, giving his reflection an eerily familiar skeletal look. His once beautiful golden locks were now rough and uneven, as though the only care they’d seen in years was rough cuts and shaves when they became inconvenient. The scraggly mane barely covered the crown of tiny, uncountable scars that encircled his scalp, with a stray curl dangling over his forehead only barely concealing the massive, almost fresh _M_ sigil that burned into his face.

He couldn’t tell what was worse: the shock of facing this stranger in the mirror, or the fact that he almost recognized him.

Adam braced himself against the sink as his legs gave out on him. His shoulders jumped as a figure appeared in the mirror behind him.

“Easy, easy!” the young man put up his hands as Adam sharply turned his head to examine the arrival. “It’s me!”

Adam blinked, eyes wide as pieces of information bumped and slid together in his mind. His mouth dropped open.

“Ricky?” he whispered in disbelief. “Ricky Fitness, is that you?”

“It’s me!” Ricky’s head bobbed.

Adam pushed himself to his feet, the young man steadying him. He put a shaky hand on the drummer’s face.

“Oh my gosh,” he breathed, barely restraining himself from squishing his old band mate’s cheeks like an elderly relative. “Oh gosh, look at you! You’re all grown up!”

“I’m still only, like, eighteen,” Ricky blushed.

“Eighteen!” Adam exclaimed. “Holy cow! You can, like, vote and stuff! And you even got your braces off!”

The youth bared his pearly whites in a grin. “I’ve been taking good care of em!”

“I’ll say!” Adam gave the teen a hearty pat on the shoulder. “I’m...I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for it.”

Ricky slid Adam’s hand off his shoulder, going in for the full hug.

“Bro,” he said as he squeezed his friend, “You don’t apologize for getting snatched, okay?”

“...snatched?”

Ricky gave a final quick squeeze before pulling away. He gave Adam a look that the prince was beginning to tire of; he’d already seen it on Jimmy plenty of times since waking up. It was a pitying, “oh no, you don’t know, do you?” look.

“I’d really like for someone to tell me what happened to me,” Adam followed up. “I know it’s bad. I know I can’t handle it or whatever. But it already happened, and I’ve already got a wicked headache coming on, so you might as well tell me.”

Two more faces peeked through the bathroom door. Adam only recognized one of them.

“Let’s all go sit down in the Command Room,” the Bat Commander stepped forward and took Prince Adam’s hand. “We have a lot to talk about.”


End file.
